This morning, I woke up and turned on CNN, from my comfortable apartment, my pup snuggled up on the blankets, his nose in my face. I awoke knowing I had great food, were I hungry, – my wife asleep, relaxed and safe.
I wandered into the kitchen, poured myself some fizzy water, and went and sat in my favourite leather chair, and turned on the news. The first image was of a six year old girl in Gaza, literally suffocating under the weight of hundreds of people pushing a line of starving people up against a metal structure, with one 16×20 inch hole cut in its side. The girl was screaming in pain as people crushed her against the sharp, corrugated steel opening.
Inside a hand reached over, attempting to pass her a single loaf of bread, that she could not take, or reach. She disappeared from the hole as the mob pushed her down, each as desperate as the other.
Where did our humanity go? When did our morals implode? People ignore the plight of millions, soon, in fact, billions of people starving around this planet. A planet with more than enough resources and food to feed all of them, yet 1% of people on this earth, live like sultans, decadent, above the rabble. They spend more on their toys than 1000 people in Gaza will dream of in a lifetime.
Meanwhile the western world contemplates providing Ozempic to people because of their obesity. A self-imposed disease, for most, not all, caused by their lifestyle and food ‘choices’. Gluttony and self-indulgence, versus starvation. It’s not a contest. Gluttony has it by a mile. Self-imposed type 2 diabetes for many of them. But, No, I don’t want to stop eating pastries, chocolate, ice cream, junk food, etc., etc. Just give me the shot, and leave me alone. A shot that cost more, – that one shot, than many on this planet earn from their labour in a year.
Meanwhile a little girl or boy in Gaza dies from starvation, or is shot by the weapons produced by nations with wealthy owners, bent on keeping what they have from those who have nothing, not a home, not clothes, not food, not even hope.
The world is dissolving into chaos as the rich nations spend trillions of dollars on security and weapons, to protect against other greedy and power hungry dictators, bent on taking ever more from others, or simply for power, – a different type of greed, but equally perverse. Now we even build walls to keep out those who are starving, diseased, disenfranchised and so desperate that will die, crushed in line, while attempting to buy, – still ‘buy’ a loaf of bread.
And we’re proud of ourselves.
Hate or indifference, both kill equally. And today, man has never been this good at it.
It makes me sick to my stomach, and my heart breaks for that little girl and her family. She died in line, crushed into that dirt street, filled with fear. She was crushed to death by people who could not see her below their feet, people equally desperate, simply trying to not die from starvation.
So on this beautiful Saturday morning, try not to think about that little girl. She could have been yours or mine, but by pure chance, she was born in Gaza, not Wisconsin, or Florida, or here in Canada.
Enjoy your coffee and croissant with crème cheese and strawberry jam.
And do turn off CNN. You really don’t want to hear about all that, now do you?
It’s uncomfortable, disquieting and spoils your sense of equanimity and peace. I know, it does that for me too. But know…we are complicit by our indifference, and our unwillingness to elect ethical, moral honourable and empathic men and women, who were given that responsibility to make decisions that make the world a safer, better place, for all of us. Instead we appoint men and women, that we know are perverse, greedy, indifferent and hate filled. Men and women that actually take pride in not helping those in the most dire circumstances. And then we, the complicit ones, justify our arrogance and willful ignorance to absolve us of our inhumanity.
Yup, not my problem.
One day it will be, and I’ll be smiling when I get to watch the pillars of greed and indifference torn down. Those responsible, I hope will, before they die, experience fear, loneliness, deprivation and hunger.
And I won’t bemoan the chaos that endangers me as well.
Why?
Because we deserve it.
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